Ancient ceremonies around the Maypole were annual
festivals to celebrate the excitement of the coming of spring. Bright
flowers springing from the earth would be more exciting if you lived
in primitive dwellings as people did over two thousand years ago.
Today when a trip to the supermarket yields fresh blossoms any day
of the year, there is not as much incentive to gladden our hearts
over spring.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, 1945, the earliest picture
of the maypole was found in a drawing in a window in Betley Hall
in Straffordshire built by King Edward IV. Size of the window or
where Betley Hall is in Staffordshire county the article does not
specify. Maybe the building no longer exists although many 600 year
old buildings are still standing. The drawing of the entire window
is shown below. We are beholden to the artist at any rate because
maypoles were not considered worthy of woodcuts or other methods
of printing. The festival was ridiculed by Roman conquerors as they
introduced Christianity.

Early mention of the ritual describes choosing a
standing birch tree - they grow straight and tall in the forest
- attaching streamers to the branches and weaving them around and
around in movements appreciative of the coming spring. Modern maypoles
can be constructed from a pole either set in the ground or in cement
with streamers attached to the top. In 1905 the ladies (below) decorated
their streamers with flowers and made a grand affair of their festival.
Be creative and have fun. For instructions on construction of May-poles
and suggested dances go to May-poles